The sirens blared around the office building downtown Tobioka City as the police surrounded the building. A crowd had begun to develop, eager to see what would take place and the police kept them back behind the lines. On a rooftop, Hunter stood in her gear, bow and arrow in hand. She reached behind her back and pulled out a pair of binoculars, zooming in on the windows. They were boarded shut and no one could see inside, not even the news helicopter that was circling the building.

"I'm in position." Hunter said.

'Good.' Came the reply. 'This will be your first official mission. Stealth will be a priority. Wait until you see my signal and then, shoot the appointed target.'

"Gotcha."

Below, the police made way for SAT members, the men moving through until they formed in a small nine-men group in front of the building. The men discussed things amongst themselves before they nodded in unison. A man stepped forward and took off his SAT gear, replacing it with a bat-costume. The man strapped a radio behind his waist and then went inside the building. He walked up the stairs with a certain tension in his body, a certain nervousness. He stopped in front of the fire exit of the top floor, opening the door. He made sure to let the door close loudly, so Emi Kazuma would know he was here.

The man was alerted to a cop that suddenly popped out of the shadows.

"Officer!" He quietly exclaimed. "Are you al… right?"

The man was completely zoned out, clearly drugged. He raised his hand and beckoned him to follow his lead. Though extremely cautious, the man in the cape and cowl followed him, stopping until he came to a room where four officers stood, all holding guns to their heads. They all possessed the same drugged look as the officer, who picked up a gun from the ground and assumed the same position as his colleagues. The man's eyes darted back and forth, bewildered until they were drawn forward when the girl herself walked out. She wore a Mofuku and a veil over her face. She tossed it over her head, revealing her face. Her face was covered in make-up but tears had evidently fallen, as you could see the traces of ruined make-up beneath her eyes. She smiled upon seeing the man before her, pointing to his mask.

"I'm glad you're here, murderer… Take off your mask. I want to see your face. Do it or I'll order my puppets to shoot themselves."

The man complied, removing his mask and showing his face. The man had brown eyes and black hair and looked all-around average in general.

"I'm here… You've caught me. Now, let these hostages go!"

"No… So long as I hold them over you, I'll be safe… I will happily release them… after I kill you and then kill myself! I just want to see you die before it all ends… I don't mind going to Hell… I just want to see you go there first!"

She reached into the sleeve of her arm and pulled out some powder into the palm of hand. She walked over to him and blew it in his face. The man coughed, before his body froze up and he collapsed to the ground, paralyzed.

"You like it? It's mixed with a toxin from a certain deadly spider… you won't die but you'll paralyzed for at least 24 hours and I'll be able to torture you nice and slowly for all the world to see." Emi put on her mask and then turned to Konomi. "You," She ordered. "Take down the boarding from the windows. I want the world to see him die."

Konomi did so. Like a zombie with no free will, she removed the boarding from the windows and allowed the news helicopter to see inside the building.

In the mansion, Mochizuki and Yuko watched the news report. Yuko held her sword in her hand and upon seeing the woman who was captured, she tightened the grip on her weapon. She turned to Mochizuki, a faint pleading look in her eye.

"Doctor, let me go and help those hostages! Regardless of our war with the Batman, I do not want to see innocent lives die!"

"No."

She gasped. "Why…?"

"Then we can found out for sure… if this woman is his ally. If he saves her somehow, we'll know for sure. Her being in the police force, I can use Hijiri to extend his influence over Konomi and attack the Batman in some manner. Yuko, it almost seems to me that you want to save this woman because you too believe he is associated with the Batman and that if you saved her, you could prevent him pain… If this is your belief, than I would be forced to call your loyalty into question. I don't want to do that, Yuko."

Yuko glanced away from him, shutting her eyes in a solemn motion. "No… I have no sentiments to the Batman. I… simply wished to avoid sacrificing lives meaninglessly."

"I see. Good."

"If you'll excuse me, sir..."

Yuko rushed out of the room, head bowed. She walked down the hall until she was far away from the room. She stood in the hall, her brow furrowed intensely. She slammed her fist on the wall, her head still bowed.

"Damn it..."

A person who had been watching Yuko from a corner turned back down the hall.

In an unknown area of the city, Wild Hunt stood in front of the computer screen, next to Kaname and watched the news report. The twenty-two year old child-like woman sat in her chair, licking a popsicle while watching it too.

"Hmm… I wonder what the Bat will do..." She muttered, licking her treat.

"He'll save the cops without revealing himself. It would be interesting..."

"Hm?" She glanced up at him. "What would be interesting?"

"If that female officer had some sort of connection to him..."

Kaname waved the notion off, chuckling. "You're just saying that cause you like her milk boobs."

"I'm not interested in women."

"Oh, yeah, that's right." She licked her treat again before biting it.

From the rooftop, Yuu raised her bow and aimed at her high school friend. Her aim was dead on the mark, right for her neck. She grimaced, knowing the pain her friend was going through. A brief thought passed through her head, a thought that suggested that her friend might have snapped upon having her parents die. She hoped that wasn't the case but judging from her recent actions, this may be true.

"Ryu-kun should be getting position right about now… Once I see the signal, I need to shoot my silent arrow onto the light on the helicopter. The arrow will cut off the light's power and they won't be able to see anything, even with their camera. If I stay in the darkness, I can take out Emi when it's time and disappear without them shining light on me."

Inside the building, Emi pulled out a knife and brought it to the man's face. "I'm going to carve a picture of the devil on your face… I'm going to let everyone know that you're nothing but a liar, a false shepherd leading us all to doom… Sacrificing lives for your own entertainment. My parents' lives…"

Batman, the real one, sat in the vents of the building, watching her speak from above. "Yuu told me about her… about how she lost her parents. She thinks I'm the cause. I've never cared about my image, about what people thought of what I did. I simply wanted criminals to fear me… But I never thought that by making civilians fear me, I could turn them into this."

He frowned to himself, mentally reprimanding his brief self-loathing moment. "Focus. Konomi's life hangs in the balance… the signal will take place soon and when it does, Hunter will take down both the lights and Kazuma. Three… two… one..."

"Emi Kazuma."

The foreboding voice came from all places of the room, heard only by those in the office. Emi looked around wildly, unable to pinpoint the origin. "Who… who are you?!"

"You have caused mayhem tonight, attacked innocent people in the name of your personal vendetta… it all ends here."

"Where are you? Who are you?!"

Hunter, from the rooftop, watched as Emi looked around wildly and pulled her bow back, aiming at the helicopter light. "There's the signal." With pinpoint accuracy, Hunter's arrow flew threw the air and silently attached itself to the small floodlight attached to the helicopter. The arrow exuded a small amount of electricity and the light fazed out. The cameraman and reporter inside the helicopter grew confused.

"Hey! What happened to the lights?"

Emi glanced to her side, looking at the helicopter. "What's going on?!"

Hunter pulled out another arrow and drew her bow, aiming at Emi this time. "Here… we… oof!" Hunter was knocked to the ground via a kick, her bow knocked out of her hand. She glanced up to see a purple haired woman dressed in black look down at her. She wore a mask over her face.

When Batman saw no arrows hitting Emi, he narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Why hasn't Hunter taken her shot?"

Emi, frustrated and annoyed, took the gun out of one of the cop's hands and pointed to the downed fake Batman. "That's it! No more games! Y-you die now!" Her hands shook and her eyes wavered.

"Despite her grief, she's still human. She had never taken a life before and even with that much anger, she still feels doubt, hesitation and lack of commitment. Hunter has yet to shoot so that means it's time to activate plan B."

Batman busted out of the vent grate, landing like a shadowy ghost behind Emi. She spun around and aimed it at the threat, her eyes widening on seeing who it is. The camera crew could hardly see anything, but the flutter from the chopper blades made it clear that another man had entered the room with some kind of cape.

"You're him!" Emi exclaimed. "The real one… I can tell!"

Batman took a step forward but she raised her hand, stopping him. "One motion is all takes to signal them to blow their heads out. Listen!" She shouted at the officers behind her. "If you see the Batman hurt me then shoot yourselves!"

"There's no justice in this."

"I don't care about justice! I just want to hurt you, the same way you hurt me!"

"Whatever it is you think, it's a lie. I'm not the one who destroyed the police headquarters."

"Bullshit! The cops said they have evidence of you at the crime scene!"

"The cops are wrong."

"Why should I believe you, some damn vigilante who thinks he's a god?" Tears began flooding out of Emi's eyes now. "You took them from me! You did!"

Hunter got to her feet after being surprise attacked, glancing to her right to see Batman had revealed himself. "Sorry, Ryu-kun..."

"Who are you?!" Hunter demanded. The woman didn't answer and instead stepped forward to kick Hunter in the face. Hunter ducked it but didn't foresee the second kick that would follow up. It hit her in the cheek, knocking her to the ground again. Hunter reached behind her and pulled out an arrow, shooting one at the woman. She dodged it before rushing to her target.

"If I can't beat her face to face then I'll have to use my arrows..." Hunter turned and ran, jumping down from the roof to a lower one. She pulled out another arrow and shot at the woman who flipped and dodged it. Hunter took an arrow out of her quiver and put it in her mouth, holding it there. She then reached back and took out two more, taking careful aim at the purple haired woman. She shot the arrows, both of them releasing a plume of smoke that blinded her. The purple haired woman rushed out of the smoke but saw no one in front of her. An arrow was shot into her back, shocking her and forcing her to knees. Hunter reappeared beside her and kicked her in the mouth, knocking her to her back. Pinning her knee on the woman's chest, she reached for her mask when the woman punched Hunter in the jaw and grabbed her jacket, throwing her off. The purple haired woman then got up and jumped off the rooftop. Grabbing an arrow from the quiver, Hunter ran over to the edge and glanced down but saw nobody.

While Hunter had been fighting Chikage, Batman stood facing Emi and tried to negotiate with her.

"Let the hostages go. You don't have to hurt them, it's me you want."

"Take off the mask. Take off the mask and the belt and then, I'll let them go."

Batman narrowed his eyes. "Alright." He glanced out the corner of his eye. "The cameras shouldn't be able to see me take off my mask..." Batman removed his belt and tossed it over to her.

"Now the mask."

Batman slowly reached to his cowl and pulled it off, the girl intently staring at him. The cowl slowly came off and underneath was a bald man, his one eye blind. His other eye was brown and he had scars all over his head and neck.

Emi's face contorted into one of disgust. "At least you look like the real deal. Fine… Now…" She stepped on the belt. "Kill Batman, cow-tits!"

The drugged woman turned to the Batman, her eyes like a zombie. Though her facial expression couldn't show it, she was mentally struggling to control her body.

"No! Please!" Though she slightly shook with struggle, Konomi was powerless to raise her weapon at Batman's chest. Batman slowly glanced out the corner of his eye and they widened slightly at seeing the tint of a scope from meters away. He returned his attention to Konomi, who had tears falling out of her eyes. The cameras were able to capture Konomi pointed the gun at a shadowy figure, but due to the angle, they couldn't see who was pointing the gun. Just before she pulled the trigger, a projectile flew through the air and landed in Konomi's neck. A second before Emi could register this, Batman threw a smoke ball to the ground. Emi coughed, unable to say anything.

"Sh-" Her mouth was quieted by Batman's gloved hand.

"If they don't see me take you out, they don't kill themselves, right?" Batman knocked her out with a chop to the neck before throwing his cowl back on and knelt down next to Konomi, seeing a syringe sticking out of her neck. He plucked it out before stowing it away. He turned her to other side. "She looks as if she was dead. Just before I threw the smoke, the cameras probably caught Konomi getting shot. They didn't see the projectile so when the smoke clears, it would seem like she was dead. This should fool Mochizuki into thinking that, even if this woman did have a connection to me, she's dead so there's nothing he can do to her. Stay there, Konomi."

"Bat… man?" She uttered weakly. "Please… don't… hurt… her..." Konomi passed out, unconscious, with Batman unsure of why she said what she said. Unable to ponder on it for it long, Batman strapped on his belt and tossed batarangs into the necks of the officers, knocking them all out. He glanced behind at Emi's body as the smoke cleared, glaring at her teary unconscious face.

Batman then turned his look beyond the windows and looked towards a building from far away. He turned on his binocular vision and zoomed in on a shadowy figure that had disappeared before he could get a visual.

"That tranq dart wasn't shot by Hunter… it wasn't on her arrow. This was shot by a sniper rifle… and I'm almost certain of the identity of the sniper."

Mochizuki leaned back in his wheelchair, sighing as the Batman tossed a batarang at the camera, shutting off the broadcast.

"He probably wants to know how that girl was able to set up an operation like that on her own. So, the police detective is dead… There's no way he planned to fake her death… a sniper shot her… was it the shadow?"

"Oh, she's waking up, she's waking up!" Yuu, bubbling with joy, stood over Konomi as her eyes fluttered up and, groaning, she sat up.

"What happened…?"

Bruce walked over to her, handing her a bottle of water. "You died."

"What?"

"To the world, you're dead. You were shot in the neck by a tranquilizer and from the way it happened, the enemies who watched the exchange, believe you to be dead. It didn't go exactly as planned but, we got you out of there alive and with no casualties."

Konomi downed the bottle of water. "What… what did you do with Emi Kazuma?"

Bruce motioned to the hall of the Batcave. "I put her in a makeshift cell. Konomi, do you know her?"

She looked down and sighed sadly. "I knew her mother… she was a… mentor of mine. We got along great. I heard… she died in the explosion too. Ryu, I know what she did was wrong but I want to try to get through to her… I feel like I owe it to her mother… And… I don't want to see another daughter of this tragedy lose themselves..."

Bruce lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his ocean blue eyes. "I understand. I don't like it… but I understand. Whatever you do, however, do not let her out until I say so. Do not let her know anything about our true identities and always be ready to defend yourself when around her. Is that acceptable to you?"

"Yes, thank you." Konomi wrapped her arms around him and embraced him tightly.

"Well, I hope you're happy." Walking into the room with a phone in her hand was Nao, wearing a red dress. "My operative just called, you know, the one who got the weird spider toxin crap sprayed into his face? Yeah, well, he told me he was with his wife today and he found out his little soldier… it ain't saluting."

Bruce walked over to computer. "Tell his wife to rub it a few times a day. It'll get better eventually."

"So, what, that's it? No, thank you, no kiss? No appreciation for loaning you my men and their SAT gear impersonation skills?"

Bruce turned and walked over to her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a lollipop, handing it to her. "Thank you." He said. Nao took the sucker, mildly surprised at the sentiment.

"To be honest, I would've preferred the kiss..." She muttered under her breath, sucking the candy.

"Hunter, take care of Oracle. I've got an appointment to keep."

"What appointment?" Konomi asked.

"A date."

"You had Hizaki search the buildings?"

"Yes, Hunt. She found an archer, aiming at the girl."

"Was Hizaki able to identify the archer?"

"No. The archer proved to be surprisingly capable, but Hizaki kept her distracted and forced the Bat to show himself."

"Your puppet is proving to be more and more of a liability. First, she is captured by the Batman and then, she is unable to finish her target? You're lucky she knew nothing about our true nature."

"I know, I know. I was just glad she had digested one of the tracking devices I have her swallow before every mission. I'm honestly getting fed up with her too. I might just have to put her down eventually."

"So, this proves the Batman has a few operatives… Interesting. A few pawns on the chess board… very interesting."

"I want to thank you, Komori-san, for showing me around the city. I really appreciate you being my escort."

"It was all my pleasure, Fujino-san. And please, after this wonderful evening we just had, I would like you to call me Ryu from now on."

"Okay..." She replied shyly. "Truthfully, when I heard about you, I expected you to be a bit…"

"Older?"

"More intense."

He glanced down at her out of the corner of his eye. "I'm rather laid-back if I'm to be honest, though, I find myself full of energy being next to you now."

"You flatter me, Ryu-san." Her stomach growled, causing Fujino to blush in embarrassment. "Excuse me..."

"Ah! All these sights and I forgot about treating you to a meal. I'm sorry, Fujino-san. Shall we go get something?"

"That would be nice, yes." She nodded, following Bruce into a sushi restaurant. After being welcomed by the cooks, Akemi and Bruce took a seat by a booth at the window. Fujino glanced out the window, looking at the sun set. "How beautiful..."

Bruce stared at her, his thoughts analyzing her behavior. "There's no doubt about it… she suspects. No… she may have already made me. Her subtle comments this evening were meant to be picked up and analyzed but why? Knowing her track record for catching criminals and her sharp reasoning abilities, there's no doubt that she came to the same thought I did – she's working for Syringe. Does she know and simply doesn't care? Or… is it something else?"

Fujino turned back at him, cocking her head to the side with a cute smile. "Is something wrong, Ryu-san?"

"N-no, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to stare."

"It's alright. I found your stare cute."

Tea was placed in front of both of them. Akemi reached for hers, sipping it.

"He's analyzing my behavior, trying to figure out my ulterior motive. This little dance of ours is useless when we've clearly deduced each others' identity."

She placed the tea down, glancing up at him with a serious look. "Shall we be open with our thoughts, Ryu-kun?"

Bruce took a sip of the tea, clearing his throat. "I guess the charade is over, then?"

"I know you have deduced that I am the one who peers through puzzles and I know you are the one who strikes fear into the hearts of sinners."

Bruce placed his tea down. "Correct." He interlaced his fingers, leaning in closer. "You impress me. I think I've underestimated you."

"Most people do. I don't mind it, though. I use it to my advantage."

"As you should. Let me get straight to the point… now that you know who I am, what do you plan to do with the knowledge?"

"Ah, you've deduced that I've deduced what type of people I've been hired by. I have no interest in them. In fact, I'm willing to help you catch them."

Bruce narrowed his eyes in clear suspicion. "Why?"

"Because I need your help. Your interest in Aranami has shown me that you are planning to take him down, perhaps go after his secret funds. For the sake of my father, I want to take this man down too and keep the man I love safe. I'm willing to work with a man on the dubious side of the law to do that."

"You're full of surprises, goddess. It's true, I could use a sharp mind like yourself… If I were to guess, I would say your directness comes from the fact that I have offered your father employment."

"Correct. He's moral by nature and can't stand the jobs he has to do for Aranami. I can only imagine the relief he feels by working for you."

"Very well. I'll set up meeting points and discussion channels where we can talk. We will keep this professional, I'm sure."

"Absolutely. I look forward to it."

A ring was heard from Fujino's purse. "Oh, excuse me..." She fished out the phone and put it to her ear. "Hello?"

Bruce took another sip of his tea but paused when he saw the phone slip from Fujino's hand to the table. Glancing at her eyes, she saw her frightened, shocked look. "Fujino-san, is something wrong?"

"My father… had a heart attack..."

Fujino rushed through halls, bursting into the room where her father lay, breathing heavily and strapped to machines. Bruce came in shortly after, grimacing upon seeing the sight. Fujino pulled up a chair beside her father and held his hand. The man was barely conscious, his eyes looking at his daughter. Weakness could be see in them. Vulnerability, mortality.

"Father… father, how do you feel? I was so scared that I ran over as soon as I heard..."

"I… feel better… now that… you're here..."

"Father..."

The man reached up and gently touched her daughter's cheek, smiling weakly. "So… glad..."

"Fujino-san," Bruce interluded, walking up to him. "How did this happen?"

The man's sight became faraway as he remembered. "It was all… so blurry… so fast… I only… remember one frightening image… One terror that set it all off… an iron masked… devil..."

Fujino's and Bruce's eyes widened upon hearing the words, Bruce's hand clenching in his pocket.

"You were… attacked?" Akemi asked, breathless.

"Yes… in my home… at night… thank God… you weren't there, Akemi-chan… thank God..." Her father's eyes closed and he fell to sleep, his body using all its energy.

"Yes… I wasn't there..." She looked down sadly, a tear falling over the bridge of her nose, hanging there and then free-falling to the floor. "I… wasn't there..."

"It wasn't your fault..." Bruce said softly.

Fujino stood up and rushed out of the room. Bruce followed, coming up behind her as she stopped in the hall, holding the wall for support.

"I know… I know it wasn't my fault… the Iron Mask Gang… the criminals with no sense of honor or purpose… Criminals have hurt my family again, attacked my parents again…" Fujino spun around, her cheeks red with tears but a determined, angry glint shone in her eyes. "I'll aid you. I know enough about the Iron Mask Gang to be an asset. The world's greatest detectives, you and I, will put an end to those terrorists once and for all."

Bruce walked over to her placing his hand on her shoulder. "Count on it." He continued walking down the hall, exiting the hospital building. On the streets, Bruce took out his hand and clenched, his fingers digging in his palms hard enough to draw blood. He stood there for a few moments, seething.

"Black Label… Mochizuki… you've gone too far. Your propaganda nearly cost several lives… You've attacked an innocent, a man who had nothing to do with Aranami, scaring him into having a heart attack… I can't let you run wild any longer. You'll pay for this." His raised his eyes, a demonic glint shining through in the darkness. "I promise you that!"

Konomi walked into the room, holding a tray in her hand. She saw the girl chained to a wall, hugging her knees as she stared to the ground. Konomi gave what she hoped was a disarming smile and placed the tray next to the girl, who remained unresponsive. Konomi, somewhat unsure of what to do, sat across from Emi, trying to perceive anything she could. The girl was motionless, almost dead, blinking only every few minutes or so. After the silence had dragged on for too long, Konomi began to speak up.

"Uh, Kazum-"

"Shut the fuck up." She crudely interrupted. The girl looked up, staring into Konomi's eyes, livid. "Just shut up. I don't want to hear anything from your mouth. I know – I'm probably in some cell that they're keeping me in until I'm sentenced to death or something like that, right? Well, fuck you! Punishing the people who had the courage to kill that murderer and not going after him himself. I bet you guys are on his payroll, huh? Let me guess, you're his fuck-toy? He treats you good every night, gives the melons a good squeeze, huh? Must help with knowing that you're sleeping with a goddamn killer who didn't give a shit when %70 of the city's cops were blown to Hell. Fuck you and fuck your boyfriend."

Konomi rose up quickly and rushed out the room, slamming the door shut behind her. She supported herself against a wall, breathing heavily. She had to get out of there. Listening to the girl any longer, Konomi would've slammed her knee into her nose. Insults to herself, she could take but she hated insults against Ryu. She knew why she hated it, and the reason frightened her a little, but she knew why. She turned her around, leaning against the wall with her back and slid to the ground, bowing her head. The frustration was already getting to her but she was still determined to help this girl, to help someone who had lost their parents that day. She owed it to her teacher, she felt.

"I can't believe that shit… I can't believe you've failed so many times. I mean, you know what happens if you disappoint me, right, Goryu?"

In the secret base of the Yakuza, Goryu was chained to the wall. She had multiple lashes across her body. Kyoji smirked and kicked the woman in her face before whipping her neck several times.

"You know, when dad gave you to me as a babysitter, I was alright with it. He said I couldn't play with you but he never said anything about hurting you. And now, you're showing incompetency, Goryu. All I need to do is give my dad a call. Call him and tell him Goryu isn't cutting out and you know what would happen, right ? What would happen? My dad would kill him. That's right. That precious person of yours, my dad will kill him if you don't do everything I say, if you're not cut out for the job. We won't kill you, we'll kill your precious daddy."

Goryu looked down, clenching her jaw. "Forgive me, sir… I have no excuses..."

"Got that right, you whore!" He punched her in the cheek, drawing blood from mouth. "I wanted that swordswoman chick but you failed to do that and on top of it all, one my biggest business associates was arrested! You failed to kill Komori and now he knows someone is after his life. If the police, who are all goody-goody now, trace it back to me, I'm screwed. So, here's what you're going to do – you're gonna capture Komori and Shiro and bring them to one of our hideouts. I want to have nice discussion with them before I have them killed. If you understand and are completely obedient to me, then," He moved his foot forward, his shoes having a little bit of dry mud. "Kiss my feet until I say stop, bitch."

Goryu leaned down and kissed his feet, crying out in pain when he lashed her back. "I didn't say stop." She continued kissing his feet.

Mochizuki sat in the meeting room of Oriha's house, listening to Ampule One's briefing of their mission.

"I see…" He contemplated the events. "Well, I suppose there was no helping him getting a heart attack then. Night is falling… I want everyone to prepare to arm themselves. The Batman is coming, intent on a direct confrontation. Anger drives him and he intends to cripple us until he can have us arrested. I refuse to lose another base so when he arrives… we'll kill him."